Menu Close

Otherstream

The old mill

This was a pretty sad sight I wasn’t really expecting to see today. They’re tearing down the old Pomona Mill in Greensboro. This was less than two miles from the house where I grew up, so it’s a landmark I used to pass pretty much every day, and one that I’ll definitely miss.

By the time I was born, the building was being used as a Western Electric plant. By the time I was in high school, it had been converted into an outlet mall that never quite took off; that closed probably ten to fifteen years ago. The building had pretty much been vacant since then, I believe.

As far as I can tell, there aren’t any plans for the land. It’s in sort of an awkward location which isn’t really appropriate for retail, and the surrounding neighborhood isn’t sufficiently picturesque for it to be converted into lofts for the “faux urban” crowd. I imagine they’re tearing it down because they think the land may sell quicker that way, and they’re probably right.

All the same, I can’t imagine what they might build in its place, and I’m sure going to miss my old mill.

Videolog: You’re in the Army Now


Bolland
You’re in the Army Now, 1982

In their home country, they were known as Bolland & Bolland, and they actually had hits. In the US, it was simply Bolland, and three or four people bought their album “The Domino Theory”. I was one of them.

TCS update

Just by way of a plug, there’s new content over at the Twin City Sentinel. It’s been kind of a slow start, and Mark’s been adding more stuff than I have, but we seem to have finally found our format: sort of an unrban journal, with an emphasis — but not an exclusive focus — on this area.

Videolog: Take the Skinheads Bowling


Camper Van Beethoven
Take the Skinheads Bowling, 1985

I got to know one of the former Campers Van when I lived in San Francisco and developed a very slight crush on him. At the time, I found it very cute that a jaded old soul like myself actually could still get crushes, particularly ones that I didn’t even act on.

Videolog: The Way


The Way
Fastball, 1997

I dunno. I just always liked this song. And it was getting lots of airplay around the time of the Planet SOMA US Tour 1997, so I associate it with being intersting places I was seeing for te first time.

Videolog: Boys Do Fall in Love


Robin Gibb
Boys Do Fall in Love, 1984.

Among other things, this song (along with the two additional videos you’ll see in the next couple of days) always reminds me of being in the original Weekends on Peachtree Street in Atlanta one very strange weekend in the summer of 1984.

Videolog: The Love Cats


The Cure
The Lovecats, 1984.

Second of three videos that always remind me of the original Weekends nightclub in Atlanta and a strange weekend spent adjacent to it in 1984.